The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-10-16
WTH0RNE'S HOME.
WAKENdN'S LETTER TO THE TINES
on THE GREAT NOVELIST.
Old Salem i'm Massachusetts-T Gray
Tombstones aud the "Reminiscences The
Romancer's Haunts- Haunted Chamber.
The Words Of the Famous Authorize.
SALEM. Mass. October Il. 1888

SALEM, Mass, October II, 1887.
De Toequeyille did not wholly approve
OF US because We possessed no finished
fowls. II the author of democracy in
America" had hOnored this country
with a second visit aud wondered few
miles north OF Boston until he had come
TO old salem by the sea, he could have
written q whole book ON finished
city AZ least 10 so seemed tome when fhe
dusk found me alighting I'm the Old town
at a depot whose lofty blackcned arches
In the dim light suggested a spectral
view l0nce had by torchiight of the Ola
DOms interior 20 Mayence Nor was
this fancy lesseued when after fitting
about the city Ikea strange and rcstips.
spirit / saw here and there into inlcri-
0rs of quaint and 0idon homes. and
caught giimpscs of ancient architecture
and decoration, with reality aud seeming
into which came by gone men and man
ncrs. days and ways. And ii all this
made one feel the presence of AN an,iqui
o. Of genial and mellow flavor. when
bad searched for and discovered a most
ancient inn-a rule always follow I'M my
wanderings-the very old man I found
seated by my side at supper. the very
old supper that / was seated beside the
very old female who was the smiling.
ever present, but relentless hostess of
the inn and the very old chamber into
which | WAS finally ushered, where the
very old story about Washington having
once slept in tins Identical apartment,was
again rehearsed with lbs very old varia.
lions, and finally very old bed. and ST.
lence only broken by the creaks. fits.
starts and gr0ans from the weakening
joints of a very old house all impress
sed me both with the antiquity of Salem
and the injustice of the hippant criticism
of the brilliant DE rOcQueyillc
Indeed One might NOT Doe altogether un-
generous t0 fancy chat Che Salem of lIaw
th0rne may Poe regarded as .tiN more In-
teresting than Che Hawthorne Of Salem
Commerce by sea- was once more imp0r-
iant and noted than at amy other Amer.-
cam port Salem Was really and truly n
affair 0i .ts own and u0 small alaN zoo
that without anybodys helping. lHd
then FL iew iau'iou- Wretche-, blinded
with ihc b.g0try of that day and 'mc
which merely finds some other -nrt OF
expression elsewhere in ibis l.v anal
time caught few other poor wl.che.
who were quite as birofcd chem. .rc.
but lacked The powc~of the.rner.arlf.r.
called them witches. put them to death.
and thus left ID e.amor about tbe fine ODD
city. which can never Doe e1u.ed A
great romaucer was made whore bis
genius delFed among Salem masy re-
cords and took pitabie page of her
stcrucr history around which f0 weave
palnciicp pleading io the universal human
heart But that one who is most sought
here-thc real man. hawthorne who
ought almost tO sti.l iiyc. move and speak .
from ail chat he SOD long kneH and fef F
is most difficult off al in OBJ. fod.nn
"Uawthornes -ah ye- Buf that WAS
p lone time aro 900 seems fo mf.t t0.r
rilrr'minr inonirio. arorrub.r.
They .g.iilteu ron .f,l.. ,,itbo,,t .......,..,
,f Saleu.s olden olorv yor can os.ly .
lind .kiDper. bold who sim -eyel I'm rum
and "reminiscences of fho l8r. rhon fhc
Drieurs seq-rate- opened Wide fo Salcm's F.
noble .hippinr Chipucr hosts win dc
.cant upon her present wealth and ar.s
.ocracy Others will point out how the